


Perfectly different

by Boomjob



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: F/M, Im rating this general cuz like there /is/ swearing but not a lot, Its the classic "which twin is which" concept we all know and love, M/M, Twinsweek, if ur not really down with swearing then idk how you made it thru taz but godspeed to ya, outfit swap
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-29
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-11 03:58:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13516122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Boomjob/pseuds/Boomjob
Summary: Taako and Lup are masters of disguise, especially when you have someone with the same face to cover for you. A shirt exchanged, vocal patterns mastered, and they were indistinguishable.A twinsweek prompt! Expect a new chapter every day thru 1/28 to 2/3 of 2018. Not drabbles/ficlets!DAY ONE: your favorite twin/both if you can’t decideDAY TWO: sibling bondingDAY THREE: childhoodDAY FOUR: free space/headcanonsDAY FIVE: taako shipDAY SIX: lup shipDAY SEVEN: post canon





	1. DAY ONE: your favorite twin/both if you can’t decide

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is going to be my twinsweek fic! I've got a consistant idea for weaving each day's prompts together, so this'll be fun. today is technically day 2, but im only jumping on rn. Expect day 2 in probably a few hours!
> 
> Make me choose: Lup, taako or both - Both, but if you cant tell which is which then do u really have to choose? ;3c

Magnus and Merle sat together in the main living space of the Starblaster, exchanging pleasant conversation and stories of their day. Lucretia sketched a piece of plant life at the counter, with Barry fine-tuning a machine on the floor and Davenport watching. The sun was setting, the ship was quiet, and its occupants were relaxed. Over 60 years on this mission and none of them had experienced a relaxing day in awhile. 

Of course, this left the twins antsy. Over a hundred years of movement together made their default setting ‘vibrate when not pacing.’ Taako and Lup loved a good prank, so what was the harm for a quiet afternoon? 

“Taako, dear, have you seen my robe?”

“Can’t say I have, Lup! But did you ever give back that skirt you ‘borrowed?’”

“Yes I  _ did,  _ Taako,” the first voice called out, overly sweet in its biting response through a grit-teeth smile. Something was up, and the crew sitting around knew it.

Hours before, Taako sat in Lups room as they gossiped. She pulled out clothing, some hers and some his, getting help with color changes from her brother. She would suggest, he would transmute, and great outfits were either made or burned. 

“Ugh, this would have looked  _ so good _ with my long hair. Wish I hadn’t cut it before we left.”

“Lu, your hair is slammin. Don’t fuckin gripe about what you woulda’ done, Magnus gets a black eye every new year.”

“Yeah I  _ get it,  _ I’m grateful, sure, but also a creature of frivalty. Some length and curl would be a good change of pace…” She looked in the mirror, frowning as her short undercut hair didn’t flow as well with her dress. “It’s nice, sure, but change is good! You just changed that dress from pattern to solid cuz it was ‘outdated.’”

“Your hair isn’t outdated,  _ you _ are, nerd.”

She shot a hair elastic at him, pulling it back like a slingshot and whipping him in the forehead. They both giggled, but Lup went back to the mirror.

Taako gave a hard look at his sister. “Well I mean,” he started. She gave a confused look. “You could have at least said  _ please  _ before I did this, but I hate when you look like a kicked puppy. Here,” and with a lightning-fast draw, he whipped his wand up to point at Lup’s head before firing a spell. A quick drop of magic and a few seconds later, Lup stared at her old head of long, curly hair. 

“Ko, you could do that the whole time??”

“I can change texture, too. That’s how I straighten mine so quick.” He grinned. “And you said transmutation was stupid.” He stood from the bed to admire his work, circling around Lup in her new hollywood-esque dress and hair combo. “I’ll be honest, short was good but long hair is good, too.”

She laughed, looking at them both in the mirror. “You’re just saying that cuz of your own hair, asshole.”

“You’re right,” he said, slinging an arm around her shoulder, “we’re  _ both _ pretty gorgeous, huh?”

“Yeah, you can really see how…  _ identical _ … we are…” she trailed off, staring at themselves. With the same length hair, the same features, they were  _ strikingly _ similar. She started to grin.

“Taako give me your fucking shirt.”

“M’what??”

“ _ Taako take off your shirt right now.” _

A small scuffle later, a sequin shirt and skirt ensemble created, and a hat on her head, Lup looked back again in the mirror.

“Oh  _ shit!”  _ They both scream whispered. She had, in close to every physical sense, become Taako. Her skirt hung just above the knee, and coupled with her now long hair, she was virtually indistinguishable from her sibling next to her. Or,  _ was,  _ until another spell later, Taako was now sporting her undercut.

“Oh my god we share the same face  _ and _ brain.” They giggled like kids as Taako started putting on a pair of her jeans, plus one of her large red plaid shirts around his waist and a t shirt on with her jacket. A spot of darker shade lipstick than he was used to, and Lup now stood in the room where Taako was. The both looked in the mirror again, deadpan as they thought about their next actions.

“We haven’t done something like this in  _ years.” _

“This has so much potential.”

“Crazy potential, Lu.”

“But we can’t just barrel-ass into this Ko, let’s plan first.”

“...”

“...”

“You wanna bet on who’s the last to figure it out?”

“...”

“Merle-”

“Merle-”

“Yeah it’s Merle.”


	2. DAY 2: sibling bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone knows the best bonding is through some good ol fashion joint chicanery!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /runs in the room sweaty and holding 30 different papers/ IM HERE IM HERE, I DIDN'T FORGET.
> 
> Sorry this is late! I technically started a day behind and french homework is kicking my ass! But i wanted to post this before going to bed cuz DEDICATION

The twins had spent the last two hours discussing their mannerisms and how they act, speak, walk, and talk. Mostly it was filled with conversations ending in ‘I do  _ not _ do that!’ followed with ‘ _ yes you totally do!’  _ In the end, they both decided on the perfect outfits for one another, playing dress up on their replica. It ended with Lup in a fashionable baggy sweater to hide any curves, and Taako in her jacket to add familiarity. Makeup added and colors transmuted, they were stunning as usual with a touch of extra flavor spicing it up.

“Okay, you remember the plan?”

“Uhhhh, don’t fuck this up?”

“No, don’t act like an idiot while dressed as me.” Taako smacked Lup in the back of the head, but it was cushioned by her large hat. She’d even braided it like he does. 

“No but seriously,” Lup sobered up, “This could be absolutely hysterical if executed correctly.”

“Yeah I get it, see how long it takes for them to notice. Pick them out one by one, fan out, and don’t give them a person to compare them to.”

“If we’re in the same room, the plan spells ‘doom.’”

“Lu that was actually really good.”

“Thanks, I thought it was something you’d say.” Taako gave her a playful shove, blushing. “Okay, you ready?”

“Oh,  _ fuck  _ yes.”

They’d lined up at the door, jokingly saluting each other. They walked opposite ways down the hall, seeking out their first targets.

“What’s up guys? Cha’boy is a bit hungry. I’m gonna make some ol fashioned grilled cheese, you guys want some?”  _ Oh she had this in the bag. _ Lup swept into the living room area with an attached kitchen, throwing dramatics around with every step. Her voice was pitched a bit lower, but she’d been drinking water to stop her voice from cracking. Girl was  _ prepared. _

Merle and Davenport sat playing chess in the corner at a small tea table. Neither looked up from their game, being used to Taako ‘sweeping into’ places at this point loudly proclaiming he would make food. “Sure, I’ll take one, thanks.” Davenport stared at the board intensely, both players down to about six pieces each.

Merle wasn’t doing a good job of focussing, either. He snapped up slightly, not pulling his eyes away from the board. “If you’re makin’ em, I’ll take one, Lup.”

Catching Davenport in surprise, he looked up at Merle in confusion. Meanwhile, Lup polished her improv skills with a quick spitshine before speaking. She had to save this, there was no way she was fucking up this quick. “Merle, you finally gettin’ too old? Only one of Taako, baby. Frankly, I should be  _ offended.” Good save Lup, just the right amount of biting sass. _

Merle blinked owlishly, surprised by his own mistake. “Man, I must be tired or something… Last game then, captain?”

Davenport was still busy searching Merle’s face. “Yeah, yeah sure. Last one.”

Well, this was going much better than she thought!

~~~~

Taako was the first to find Lucretia, sitting with Magnus in a comfortable silence. The journal keeper had been sitting straight up in a beanbag chair somehow, sketching something into the pages, while Magnus polished a weapon. 

Lucretia reached for an eraser on the table before Lup (Taako), grabbed it for her. Holding it up first, he tossed it to the sitting author gracefully.

“Here kiddo, need this?”  _ perfect execution, perfect voice, annunciation 100%, god he was good,  _ Taako thought. 

Lucretia stared at Lup (actually Taako). She thought something felt… off, about her. Something about her face felt different? “...Thanks.” She’d been sketching for so long her eyes must have been playing tricks. “Did you finish up the wardrobe changes with Taako?”

“Hm? Oh, yeah it went great! Lots of nice colors, now.”

She paused. “Did you convince him to change the patterns you thought were ugly?”

“Excuse me?” Taako took a hard look at Lucretia.

“Oh sorry, did I overstep…? You mentioned trying to persuade him out of over excessive textured prints…”

Taako grit his teeth and turned away from Lucretia. “Oh  _ yeah,  _ I remember that. No, he convinced me that they were good. Every outfit needs a good accent piece.” He caught his tongue. “According to  _ him,  _ that is.”

“Huh, okay… Well, are you still good for your sketch tomorrow?”

“I thought I did that one already?”

“...No, I sketched  _ Taako _ already, I interviewed you first... Are you feeling okay, Lup?”

_ Shit.  _ “Right! My bad, yeah, I thought you meant the interview.” He swallowed. “I’m gonna, um, go see if I can catch Maggie.”

“O-okay,” but ‘Lup’ was already gone.

“Hey, Magnus? Was something off about Lup just now?”

“Besides the fact that she never buttons her jacket that way? No, nothing.”

Damn, she wished one day to be as observant as this boy.

~~~~

“Here, two grilled cheeses made to perfection, natch.” 

“Oh, thanks!” Merle looked up at Lup, sporting one of Taako’s big hats. “You know, that was… really kind of you, to, y’know, make those for us.”

“Oh, no problem broseph.”

“Feeling charitable today, Taako?” Davenport smirked, knowing what usually followed was a defensive wall proclaiming he was an asshole.

‘Huh, I guess so. Must just be that kind of day!” He sauntered back to the kitchen, grabbing a glass of juice.

Chalk  _ that _ one up as weird.

“Hey listen, Taako?” Merle piped up. Lup poked her head back out from the fridge. “I’m real sorry about mixin’ you up with your sister. That’s probably something twins get a lot of, right?”

“Oh no, Merle, that’s totally-”

“I mean, I’d hate to be mistaken for Dav just cuz we’re both short!”

“Hey now a) don’t drag me into this and b) what’s that supposed to mean?”

Merle ignored him. “I just, sometimes it’s nice to see you having a better day.”

Lup was absolutely touched, and it wasn’t even about her. Uhhhhhh fuck, what would Taako even  _ say _ to that? Something snarky? But he was being genuinely nice!

In the end, all Lup could manage was squeaking out a ‘n’problem’ and scooting out the door, back down the hallway.

As the two heard the footsteps grow further away, Davenport looked incredulous. “Merle, what in the everloving  _ hell _ was that?”

“A test.”

“...Why would you test Taako?”

“Cuz it wasn’t Taako.”

~~~~

Taako had another to meet. He could rule out that Lup had been to this part of the ship already since she walked the other way, which meant she probably found Merle or Davenport. Taako had an evil idea, well, evil probably to Lup, but fun to him. And overall better in the long run. Oh man, he couldn’t wait. 

Taako knew from the fun times on the beach that the scientist had a thing for his sister. The very same sister he was currently dressed as. He wasn’t gonna do anything stupid, duh, Barry wasn’t even his type. But maybe a few choice comments would push the nerd into finally saying something. 

“Barold!” He slammed the lab door open and Barry jumped five feet in the air, almost dropping his beaker. Taako was  _ delighted  _ by his scarlet blush blooming up to his ears.

“ _ Lup?? _ Jeez, y-you scared the shit outta me!” Barry pushed his prescription lab goggles up, fumbling with his glasses. “What are you doing here...?”

“What, I can’t hang out in your smart room?” He had to play it cool. Not too fast, clearly Barry feared emotional confrontation like the plague. Fun and flirty, that’s it. 

“...Um, I mean, sure? I, I didn’t think you wanted to be here during your allotted time with Taako…”

“He’s totally cool with it. Plus,” he picked up a beaker. “Maybe I wanted to play a bit of mad scientist, instead.”  _ Don’t wink, that’s too much.  _ He instinctively winked anyway. Goddammit. Man if it wasn’t worth it to see Barry turn even pinker, though. 

“LIsten, Lup, It’s not that I don’t… enjoy your company…” Taako continued swirling the beaker. “But, a-and I dont mean this like,  _ to be rude, _ but… Are you okay?”

_ Shit, the jig is up. _ Nah, he could still save this. Big guns, time.

“I mean… I could always be  _ better…”  _ He placed the beaker back to the table, choosing to run his hand across the tabletop leading to Barry. “That is, if you’d-”

“LUP  _ WATCH OUT!”  _ Taako watched Barry lunge for him. He panicked, bracing for a full tackle from Barry, but instead heard the scientist dive past him. 

Barry dove, and Taako followed his momentum to a beaker careening down from the table… where Taako had put it. 

He was completely outstretched, and time seemed to slow. The chemical inside was highly explosive, Lup of all people should know that. He reached as far as he could, but he wouldn’t be able to grab it.

He had to make a split second decision. Barry wound his extended arm back instead, and slashed his hand the beaker. He slapped it across the room as if it were a live grenade.

He hit the floor hard as a massive explosion rocked the room. The chemical ignited against the wall, showered in purple fire. 

Taako, understably, was still panicking. Barry was down on the floor and the wall was on fire. He whipped out his wand, shooting a jet of water at the flames.

“Don’t-!” Two voices called out to him, but too little too late. The water made the fire grow, spreading to the floor and destroying everything in its path. 

Taako recognized the voices. He turned to see Barry struggling to scoot away from the flames, and Lup standing in the door still dressed as him. With a look of annoyed determination, she pulled out her own wand and cast a spell.

“You dumbass-!” She yelled, before red hot flames spouted from her wand, surrounding the purple flames like a sewn veil. The purple fell flatly, and was out in seconds.

Seconds later, the three in the room heard pounding footsteps in the hall before Davenport, Merle, Lucretia, and Magnus wrestled in the doorway for a space to see inside.

“What is it what happened?”

“We heard an explosion??”

“Is everyone alright?”

“Is someone in the ship?!”

Davenport took a long look at his arcanist officers, sweating from the action and slightly chaotic. But it was Barry that spoke first.

“I’m calling a meeting, give me a half hour.”

“I don’t think you can call meetings?” Merle said.

“I didn’t think I could dive six feet forward but here we are. Meet me at :45 in the living room.” He grabbed a small machine trinket to work on. Staring at Taako and Lup, he left.

The four others still stood in the doorway. Nobody said anything until Magnus suddenly sprinted away.

“Where are you running to?!” Lucretia called to him.

“I’m not cleanin’ that shit!” And he rounded the corner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anyway its two am now, im goin to bed

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so so much to https://twinsweek.tumblr.com/ for putting this week together! 
> 
> Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more literally later today


End file.
